BYU to be tested by WSU in Ogden

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Dec 3, 2008 by Jim Rayburn

There's really no questioning BYU's dominance at the Marriott Center, where the Cougar men's basketball team has won 51 consecutive games -- the nation's longest current streak.

The Cougars' play on the road, however, is another issue. For the past few years BYU has been a Jekyll-and-Hyde team, rolling over good teams at home and then getting rolled over by the same teams on the road. Even in close road games the Cougars have tended to panic when the momentum begins to turn the home team's way.

But the Cougar players feel that this season has a different feel. The lopsided win at Pepperdine had the Cougars optimistic that perhaps they are becoming a better road team. Saturday's win over a much-better Idaho State squad was even more encouraging considering things easily could have unraveled following a scuffle that fired up the Bengal players and Bengal fans.

"In my time here we've had a hard time getting over the hump in winning a tough game on the road, and it's good that we came in here and got this done with the crowd against us ... it's a hard thing to overcome but you go into the next game with a lot more confidence," Cougar captain Lee Cummard said.

Coach Dave Rose praised the way his team responded to the adversity in Pocatello -- especially once the crowd became riled up.

"Hanging together, and playing together, and relying on each other, and trusting each other in tough times is the key to having good chemistry," Rose said. "And I thought we shared the ball very well right out of that situation."

The Wildcats (2-3) might not be an equivalent test tonight when the two teams meet at the Dee Events Center in Ogden. But losing to the Wildcats would certainly be a big step backwards for the Cougars.

In reaching its 6-0 mark, BYU currently has three players averaging in double figures and two just below double figures. Cummard is scoring 19 points per game, Jonathan Tavernari 17, Jimmer Fredette just under 12, Chris Miles just under 10 and Jackson Emery nine. The Cougars are also shooting 51 percent from the floor and averaging more than 19 assists per game. The Cougars have also outrebounded every opponent thus far this season by an average of 10 boards per game.

The Wildcats, seeking their first quality win, have defeated Division II Prairie View A&M and NAIA Montana Tech. Weber State opened its season with a narrow loss to Miami (Ohio).

The Wildcats blew second-half leads in losses to Long Beach State and Utah State. Weber State led Long Beach State by 23 points before squandering the advantage and losing in overtime. The Wildcats led the Aggies by 12 points in the first half, but ran out of gas in the second, scoring just 14 points after halftime, and lost by 26 points.

Weber State is led by point guard Kellen McCoy, who averages 13.6 points per game. Center Steve Panos averages 11.6 points and seven rebounds per game. Newcomer Nick Hansen also averages scoring in double figures, as he's producing 10.4 points per game.

NOTES: This will be the 34th time the two Cats have tangled, with BYU leading the series 23-10. All 10 of Weber State's win have come in Ogden, but BYU has won the last two in Ogden, last five overall and eight of the last nine meetings ... BYU is off to its best start since the 1991-92 season ... BYU freshman forward Noah Hartsock will miss his second straight game with a severely sprained ankle.

In-state battle

BYU (6-0)

at Weber State (2-3)

Tonight, 7 p.m.

Dee Event Center, Ogden

TV: KJZZ; BYU-TV Radio: KSL 1160 AM/102.7 FM

E-mail: jrayburn@desnews.com, aaragon@desnews.com